It was a new day in Mystic Falls. The sun shone bright and sunny as Luciana and Stefan drove to highschool after Stefan's insistence on her starting school from today onwards. Needless to say, Luciana was nervous about this whole new experience, although Elena and Stefan had already assured her multiple times that they'd be by her side throughout the day and that she had nothing to be worried about.

Everyone watched in awe as Stefan parked his Porsche 356B Karmann Coupe in the student's parking before stepping out and helping Luciana out from the passenger seat as Elena walked over to the two with a smile.

"Hey," Elena greeted as she softly pecked Stefan's lips before turning to Luciana with a big smile, "welcome to your first day of school, Lu."

"Thanks," Luciana replied as Stefan smiled, noting the nickname, "I swear, if either of you leave me alone for even a second, I'll be mad at you forever."

"We won't," Stefan assured again as the three walked to the classes together.

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"Okay, this week we're going to put our regular curriculum aside for a lesson in local history as we approach Founder's Day," Alaric announced as he walked into class, "but first, we have a new face among us. Everyone, meet your new classmate, Ms. Luciana Ward, who just transferred here a few weeks ago."

Everyone clapped in a welcoming manner as Elena and Stefan joined along in cheering for her, knowing she would feel more relieved by the nice gestures.

"Okay, moving on-" 

The door to the classroom opens as Bonnie walks into the classroom, interrupting Alaric's speech as she says, "sorry, I'm late."

"Looks like we have full occupancy today," Alaric mumbles as Bonnie takes a seat next to Elena and Luciana leans over to Stefan.

"Is this Bonnie?" she whispers as he nods, both noticing Bonnie's demeanor change as soon as her eyes land on the two. Luciana offers the witch a small smile as Bonnie only looks away in response.

Stefan put a reassuring hand on Luciana's as she shrugged, deciding to concentrate back on the lecture instead.

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"The Fell cousins don't have a shot," Caroline tells Bonnie as they walk to where the dance practice for Miss Mystic Falls Pageant was going on after class.

Elena was on the court and had asked Stefan to be her escort, which he gladly accepted. As a member of the Founding Families, Carol Lockwood had reached out and asked Luciana to attend as well, although as a guest and not a contestant.

"You know, my grandmother was Miss Mystic and both of my aunts," Caroline added desperately, "my mom was the only one who didn't get the gene and I want this. I actually deserve this."

"Bonnie, Care, hey," they heard Elena call out as the practice came to a halt and the contestants dispersed for a break.

"Hey, how are you?" Stefan asked the witch as Luciana too joined the group.

"Hey Luciana, it's so nice to see you again," Caroline greeted enthusiastically as Luciana offered them a small smile, "when did you get here?"

"Oh I just started today," Luciana replied before turning to Bonnie, "I don't think we've met. I'm Luciana."

"Bonnie," the witch replied monotonously as Elena and Stefan shared a strained look.

"I begged Bonnie to fill in for Matt," Caroline spoke up again, "he had to work today."

"Um yeah, hey Bonnie, do you have a minute?" Elena asked hesitantly.

"We only have 30 minutes of rehearsal-"

"It'll only take a minute," Elena insisted as Bonnie nodded slowly and the two walked out to a more secluded corner to discuss why Bonnie was being to closed off to them lately.

"Hey Luciana, you're coming to the Pageant, right?" Caroline questioned, "you should totally stop by. Although it is too late to sign up as a contestant."

"Oh yeah, I'm not into pageants, anyway," Luciana replied, exchanging a knowing look with Stefan as they both thought back to their Miss Mystic Falls even in 1864, "but I'll be there to cheer you guys on."

"Great, and if you need to do some last minute shopping, you call always call me, okay?" Caroline offered, "give me your phone so I can put down my number on it."

"I, uh, I don't...I don't have my phone with me right now," Luciana replied with a small smile as Stefan realized he had forgotten to get Luciana a phone, "I'll take your number from Elena, later."

"Oh yeah," Caroline agreed as Bonnie and Elena rejoined the group, "so, we need to get back to practice, but maybe we can all hang out at the Grill later?"

"Sure," Luciana smiled back as they walked back to the dance floor and the rehearsal resumed again.

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Founder's Hall

A few days had passed since Luciana's first day at school. So far, she was settling in alright. Stefan had gotten her a phone and taught her the basic ways to utilize it while Caroline had dragged her and Elena shopping, insisting that Luciana needed to get a dress for Miss Mystic Falls.

And now, the day was finally here as Luciana was dressed in a beautiful soft pink, knee length dress with sparkly silver heels, a bold eyeliner and her half put-up with free curls around- just as Caroline has envisioned it.

Luciana walked into the Hall and out into the courtyard as a sense of nostalgia hit her and her eyes landed on Damon Salvatore, looking dashing in a suit as he walked up to her with a glass of champagne in his hand.

"In the running for Miss Mystic Falls?" he asked as he stood beside her and overlooked the courtyard filled with guests.

"Caroline insisted I dress the part in order to blend in," Luciana replied with a distant smile, "I remember this event from 1864. I was supposed to enter before everything happened. We were all going to attend, remember?"

"Ah yeah, nostalgia's a bitch," Damon admitted, "why didn't you enter this time? Stefan could've easily compelled you into the court."

"The Council takes vervain, remember?" Luciana reminded, "besides, it's not the same anymore. The town, us, none of it's how it used to be. And now...we'll never be those kids again."

"We're better off now," Damon retorted as Luciana turned to him with a raised brow.

"Are we?" she countered seriously, "do you really think you're better off now that you were back then? That your brother is better off now?"

Damon stared back at her eyes intently, trying to answer but finding himself unable to do so. For a second, he too was wondering whether they really were better off now or not.

"I...I need to meet some people, do some work," Damon finally spoke, clearing his throat as he looked away from the redhead, "don't get into any trouble."

"I should be telling you that," Luciana called out as Damon strolled off towards the Hall and Luciana was left alone to browse around.

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Luciana was strolling around, passing the hallways and taking in eveything that had changed when she heard glass break from behind a closed door, causing her to come to a halt.

Clearly concerned, Luciana inched closer to the bathroom door, she noticed two figures rush out of the Hall in incredible speed as Luciana watched in shock, wondering who it could've been.

Just as she was going to take a step towards the exit, she hears Mayor Lockwood announce Elena's introduction as cheers fill the Hall. Walking back to the hallway, Luciana notices Stefan's absence as Damon catches her eye, both sharing a confused look as Elena descends the stairs.

Understanding Elena's escort was missing, Luciana motions for Damon to step in while Damon shakes his head no, only for her to glare at him in response.

With a defeated sigh, Damon steps up just in time for Elena to reach the end of the stairs and the dance to commence as Luciana smiles in relief before heading off to find where her best friend had run off to and give him a piece of her mind for almost embarrassing the Gilbert girl like that.

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Founder's Hall Parking Lot

Stefan had lost control after having human blood for days and keeping it a secret from everyone as his Ripper side threatened to take control over him. Damon had found out the other night and informed Elena, which had led to a confrontation between the couple and caused Stefan's anger to get the best of him as he had abducted Amber, a contestant of the Miss Mystic Pageant and run off to the parking lot, trying to get his control back.

The hunger was clouding his mind as he spoke to himself, "I don't hurt people, I don't do that. I'm the good brother."

"Do you...wanna hurt me?" Amber asked him in a monotonous voice as Stefan's compulsion kept her there.

"I...I want to kill you," Stefan scoffed, "I wanna rip into your skin and I wanna feed on your blood. Under your skin, pulsating, flowing," he confessed as he walked up to her and trailed his finger along her neck, "your carotid artery right there. If you puncture this right, you can control the flow. It takes practice but it doesn't have to make a mess. You don't have to waste any blood."

"What's stopping you?"

"If I go this," Stefan sighed, "if I give in, there's no going back."

"Then don't," Amber responded as Stefan concentrated on her pulse.

"I just want one taste," Stefan spoke desperately, "that's all I need. I just want one taste," he mumbled to himself as the bloodlust got to him and his fangs came out, him sinking his teeth into her neck, letting the taste of her metallic blood fill his need.

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Luciana was rushing in her heels as she looked around the entire Hall for Stefan but could not find him anywhere. While crossing the same bathroom she had heard the noise from, her eyes caught Liz Forbes and John Gilbert analyzing a broken mirror and a sink full of blood, causing Luciana to deduce this had something to do with Stefan and that the signs were not good.

Deciding to look outside, Luciana rushed out of the Hall and began to look around when she heard screams from the woods, causing her to think her fears were right. Quickly taking off her heels, Luciana rushed into the woods to heard the screams were coming from to see her best friend feeding on an innocent, blonde girl who was scared for her life as she stood helplessly screaming for help.

"Stefan!" Luciana yelled out as Stefan's attention snapped to her, "Stefan, let her go," she urged as she pulled him off of Amber, just in time for Elena and Damon to find them as well.

"Stefan, come on, get control," Damon attempted to talk his brother down as Luciana rushed to Amber's side, tearing a piece off of the girl's top and placing it around her neck to prevent more blood from flowing out.

Elena looked in horror as Damon cautiously approached his brother and talked him down, "come on, breathe through it, man."

Noticing Elena's horrified look, something snapped in Stefan as he pushed Damon against a tree and lunged to attack him when he suddenly fell to the ground, clutching his head as everyone's attention turned to Bonnie, who must've followed behind Damon and Elena.

"What is she doing?" Luciana yelled out as her head too began to feel heavy from Bonnie's spell as Stefan's attention snapped and he sped off into the woods before anyone could catch up with him.

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"She doesn't remember anything," Sheriff Forbes announced as medics were called to take Amber to the hospital after the incident.

"It's a good thing the girls got here when they did," Damon said, "she lost a lot of blood."

"Yes, Luciana, that was a clever think to do how you wrapped her neck to stop the blood without pressurizing it," the Sheriff praised, "where did you learn that?"

"Um, my parents were both doctors so, I learned a few things from watching them and skimming through their books," Luciana replied as Liz nodded in understanding.

"And none of you saw anything?" the Sheriff then asked as Luciana looked away in guilt and Elena's eyes flickered to Bonnie, who seemed to be the most shaken up of all.

"N-no, we just found her and then called Damon," Elena stuttered as Bonnie too shook her head 'no', sniffling as she clutched onto her coat for warmth and comfort.

"Is she gonna be okay?" Bonnie asked in a hoarse voice as Sheriff Forbes nodded in reassurance.

"Why don't you girls get back to the party?" she then suggested, "Damon and I can take it from here."

"I...my dress is all covered in blood," Luciana mumbled, "I think I'll just head home."

Elena and Damon nodded along as the three girls began to walk away from the horrors of the day.

"Bonnie, can we talk about this?" Elena finally asked after they had moved out of earshot from the Sheriff.

"There's nothing to talk about," Bonnie replied monotonously as Luciana sighed.

"Bonnie-"

"Elena, I told you I wasn't gonna make you choose," Bonnie snapped, "but I need to make the choice for myself. Please, just leave me alone."

"Bonnie, none of this is Elena's fault," Luciana tried to reason but only to get cut off by the witch again.

"I know," Bonnie agreed, "I know it isn't. But I also know she's going to stick by his side, just like you are, Luciana.

You...you're both involved in this. You can't let go of the Salvatore brothers and the doom that follows them but I can. And I want out. So, please just, don't bother me."

And with that, the witch walked off angrily as Luciana only looked over at the Gilbert girl with sympathy, knowing how hurt she must be from all that had happened in a day's time.

"Are you staying?" Luciana asked softly as Elena turned to the redhead with bloodshot eyes.

"I, yeah, I can't leave without Jenna and Jer," she replied as Luciana nodded in understanding.

"I think I'm going to head back. Will you be okay?"

"I'm fine, thanks," Elena assured, "can you get back home alone or do you need someone to-"

"Oh no, it's alright, I know my way around," Luciana responded with a smile, "I've known this place for centuries, give or take."

Elena nodded as the two separated ways with the redhead headed back to the mansion and the brunette human walking back to the Hall to rejoin the party, both deeply worried about the condition of a man that was so important to them both.

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Taking the long way back home, Luciana finally reached the mansion as she saw two familiar figures awaiting at the front door.

"Anna? Pearl?" Luciana whispered as the vampires heard her through their supernatural hearing, causing them to turn to her.

"Hello, Luciana, you look well," Pearl greeted as Anna smiled at the redhead. Pearl used to be a dear friend of Katherine's, leading to her and Luciana having to spend a lot of time together, although they didn't necessarily get along for the most time.

"Pearl, Anna, I didn't know you were back in town," Luciana replied with a strained smile.

"Got back the same day you did," Pearl retorted as they heard footsteps from behind them, as they turned to see Damon Salvatore arrive as well.

"Alright, I am in no mood for this. Today has been a no-good, very bad day," the raven-haired vampire announced as he turned to Luciana, "you just got here now?"

"I took the long way back," the redhead shrugged in response, "thought I could use some air."

Damon hummed as Pearl began speaking, "Annabelle tells me you're looking for something I took from Jonathan Gilbert," she asks Damon as Luciana frowns in confusion.

"I'm listening," Damon smirked as Pearl handed him a pouch with a compass within.

"Jonathan was passionate about his inventions," Pearl went on, "he confided in me that he had created a detection device meant to track down the town's vampire element."

"It's a pocket watch," Luciana stated as Pearl nodded.

"That's what it turned out to be, yes. But that's not what I stole," the vampire confessed, "I discovered my mistake when I saw the watch in Jonathan's hand. The night they took us...it's dial pointed at me."

"So, what is this?" Damon quizzed as Pearl only shrugged in response.

"I have no idea what this is, but now it's yours," she told him, "my daughter wants to stay here and so do I. but you don't trust us, and for good reason. Consider this an apology."

Damon nodded as his eyes flickered to Luciana before he walked into the house with the redhead following close behind, confused on what the significance of this device was. Needless to say, today was a mess for her in every way possible.

Author's Note
Filler-chapter, sorta :)